Prior art vacuum cleaner brushrolls typically have bearing end assemblies that support the brushrolls for rotation in the vacuum cleaner nozzle. The brushrolls are driven by pulley belts tied to the motor drive systems of the cleaners. When a pulley driven brushroll is replaced, it is necessary to disengage the belt, replace the old brushroll with a new one, and re-engage the pulley belt in the proper place. The pulley belts themselves require periodic replacement.
In an effort to avoid the problems and disadvantages of pulley drive arrangements, a construction has been devised for directly connecting the brushroll to the motor drive shaft system of the vacuum cleaner. A known shaft driven brushroll comprises a hollow plastic spindle having internal, integral ribs, and a one-piece, injection-molded drive member that coacts with the ribs of the spindle to transmit torque from the driver shaft system to the spindle. Since the described arrangement requires a spindle having internal ribs, the spindle must be a plastic member that can be extruded or injection molded. Wood spindles, which have many advantages, cannot be used. Another disadvantage is that one-piece plastic drive member that transmits torque from the vacuum cleaner drive has a complex configuration that must be injection molded using an intricate mold.